Kids

So it has been way too long since I have updated my blog, but I will try to be better about keeping it updated. 

(side note) I am not including the names of the kids in my blog for their protection, since this is a public post

One of my favorite things about Mexico is the kids, and luckily I get to work with them on a daily basis, whether it be in the school or at the soup kitchens. 

Working in an elementary school has been such a wonderful experience. Kids are so funny and curious. My youngest class of 6 preschoolers are always pretending to be the Avengers, and even though they always make me the bad guy, I find it hard not to smile and laugh along with them, even if they are distracting the class. I have also discovered that underwear is something universally funny. I have one particularly ornery student (my grandma would love him) who when we are counting together always finds a way to incorporate the words for underwear. It usually goes something like this, “One Two Three Four Chones Calzones Seveneightnineten.” My teaching strategies are rough and I am learning a lot about what works and what doesn’t work for each of my classes. For example, I can no longer lead my Primaria Chica class in “Head, shoulders, knees, and toes” without at least two of the students clonking heads. It’s a slow process, but I am seeing progress in my students and it is an unbelievably rewarding feeling.

Here is my Primaria Chica class:

When I work at the soup kitchens i’m able to have a completely different relationship with the kids then at the school. They don’t have to pay attention to me while I try to make the students listen to the differences in pronunciation between fifTEEN and fifTY. I am able to just be a friend. The girls at La Estacion,I have found, really like it when I bring nail polish and we have a nail painting sessions. It gives me time to just talk and get to know the kids better. The kids are also teaching me things: I learned how to make an origami boat and a star thanks to some of the older kids. 

At the Christmas party for La Estacion:

I really enjoy going to the Bomberos comedor because I am always greeted on my walk to it by multiple children, who seem excited to see me. There are 2 little girls in particular who are no older than 3 that always run up to greet me as soon as they see me, and they’ll introduce me to whatever stuffed animal or baby doll they are playing with that week. They may not be able to speak in coherent sentences yet, but they are able to say my name, which to them is “Meggita or amiguita.” I found it funny at first that girls that are about 1/4 my size are calling me little Meghan, but I realize that it’s more a term of endearment or friendship when they are calling me that. I am really starting to feel very comfortable with the kids and they are opening up to me more and always asking me to play hand games with them. They are always shocked when I don’t know the words to their games (It would be equivalent to someone not knowing the Miss Mary Mack song in the States) but I am slowly learning and picking up on how to play. I am excited as to what the next months will hold for me as I continue working with the kids and learning more about their community. 

 

Here is one of the girls from Bomberos taking her cake “to go”

Here is a picture of my adorable Amiguitas from Bomberos:

Here is one of my favorite photos from this year. He is taking leftover food from the soup kitchen home to his dogs: